JP2022540839A - Female contact with stamped beam and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

A female electrical contact for an electrical connector, the female electrical contact being stamped including a conductive socket for the male electrical contact having an opening, a peripheral wall and a bottom, and a plurality of stamped conductive beams. a crown, wherein the plurality of beams are arranged substantially regularly along the peripheral wall within the socket, each beam substantially opening the opening of the socket; to the bottom, comprising a plurality of corrugations along the main direction of extension, the corrugations including crests toward the inside of the socket and valleys toward the peripheral wall, each The beam elastically deforms when contacting the male electrical contact on the relative displacement of the male electrical contact toward the bottom of the socket, and the beam elastically deforms when the male electrical contact is inserted into the socket. A female electrical contact is described that is configured to contact the male electrical contact to the plurality of corrugation tops. [Selection drawing] Fig. 1A

Description

The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, female electrical contacts for electrical connectors with conductive sockets for male electrical contacts. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such contacts.

Electrical connectors typically include at least one contact mated to an insulator. At least one contact may comprise a female contact (eg, including a socket) configured to mate with a male contact (eg, a pin) and/or a female contact (eg, including a socket). A male contact (eg, pin) configured to mate may be provided.

An electrical plug usually comprises a mobile connector. An electrical plug may have male contacts (eg, including pins) and/or female contacts (eg, including sockets). Electrical receptacles typically include fixed connectors (eg, fixed to a wall). Electrical receptacles may include male contacts (eg, including pins) and/or female contacts (eg, including sockets). The electrical plug can mate with the electrical receptacle.

Aspects and embodiments of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. These and other aspects and embodiments of the invention are also described herein.

The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, female electrical contacts for electrical connectors. The female electrical contact comprises a stamped conductive crown containing a stamped conductive beam. The beam is placed in a socket of female electrical contacts. The beam has a plurality of corrugations that contact the tips of male electrical contacts inserted into the socket.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a socket.

Multiple conductive beams and multiple corrugations provide multiple electrical contacts to ensure reliable electrical connection with male electrical contacts. The plurality of beams are arranged substantially regularly along the perimeter wall within the socket and substantially over a majority of the surface area of the perimeter wall (e.g., greater than 50%, such as greater than 75% of the surface area of the perimeter wall). for example, more than 90%) can be covered. As will be apparent from the disclosure, in some embodiments the layout of the beams within the socket tends to maximize the perimeter surface area covered by the beams. Multiple beams and multiple corrugations ensure an enhanced and reliable electrical connection with male electrical contacts.

The crown and conductive beams are stamped for low cost and easy manufacturing. In some embodiments, the crown may be placed in the opening of the socket and the female electrical contacts are easy to assemble.

Aspects of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

FIG. 2 is an elevational scatter diagram in perspective view, which diagrammatically illustrates an exemplary female contact including the stamped crown of the first embodiment; 1B is an elevational view in perspective schematically illustrating the exemplary female contact of FIG. 1A; FIG. FIG. 10 is an elevational scatter view in perspective view, the elevational view schematically illustrating the stamped crown of the second embodiment; FIG. 3 is a side view schematically illustrating the exemplary crown of FIG. 2; 1 schematically illustrates exemplary steps in a method of manufacturing a contact according to any one aspect of the present invention;

In the drawings, similar elements have the same numerical relationships.

Figures 1A and 1B schematically illustrate a female electrical contact 1 for an electrical connector (not shown).

Contact 1 comprises a conductive socket 2 for a male electrical contact (not shown). In the figures the socket 2 has the general shape of a rotating cylinder, but other shapes are envisioned, even a non-rotating cylinder.

This socket 2 comprises an opening 3 for inserting the male contact into the female contact, a peripheral wall 4 and a bottom 5 . Both the peripheral wall 4 and the bottom 5 are electrically conductive. In some embodiments the bottom 5 is substantially flat.

Female electrical contact 1 further comprises a stamped crown 6 containing a plurality of stamped conductive beams 7 .

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the plurality of beams 7 are arranged substantially regularly along the peripheral wall 4 within the socket 2 . The plurality of beams 7 may cover substantially most of the surface area of the peripheral wall 4 (eg, greater than 50%, such as greater than 75%, such as greater than 90% of the surface area of the peripheral wall). In some embodiments, the layout of the beams within the socket tends to maximize the perimeter wall surface area covered by the beams. Multiple beams and multiple corrugations ensure an enhanced and reliable electrical connection with male contacts.

In some embodiments each beam 7 may have a main direction of extension substantially from the opening 3 to the bottom 5 of the socket 2 .

As illustrated in the figures, each beam 7 can be provided with a plurality of corrugations 8 along the main direction of extension of the beam 7 .

The corrugation 8 consists of a top portion 81 directed toward the inner side of the socket 2 and a valley portion 82 directed toward the peripheral wall 4 . In the illustrated example, each beam includes three corrugations. Other numbers of corrugations can be envisioned. As a non-limiting example, each beam 7 may include N number of corrugations as follows.

Each beam 7 is configured to elastically deform when contacting the male contact upon relative displacement of the male contact towards the bottom 5 of the socket 2 . Each beam 7 is configured to contact a male electrical contact on a plurality of tops 81 of corrugation 8 when the male electrical contact is inserted into socket 2 . A plurality of corrugations 8 and a plurality of crests 81 provide a plurality of electrical contacts and ensure reliable electrical connection with male contacts.

In the example illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, crown 6 comprises six beams 7 . In the example illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, crown 6 includes twenty-four beams 7 . Other numbers of beams may be envisioned. The number of beams 7 can be such that the plurality of conductive beams 7 consists of 3 to 90 beams, as non-limiting examples.

In some embodiments each beam 7 may be in contact with the peripheral wall 4 . In some embodiments, valleys 82 are in contact with peripheral wall 4 .

In some embodiments, the receiving space for the male contacts in the multiple beams is substantially constant from opening 3 to bottom 5 of socket 2 . The receiving space 9 ensures an enhanced and reliable electrical connection with the male contact.

As illustrated in the figure, a stamped crown 6 connects the plurality of beams 7 together and mechanically contacts the socket 2 at the opening 3 of the socket 2 to attach the stamped crown to the socket 2 . It further comprises a stamping base 10 configured. The stamping base 10 may contact a shoulder 11 in the peripheral wall 4 and may be covered by a retaining ring 12, as illustrated in FIG. 1A. Other methods may be envisioned, for example by folding the thin wall of the socket on the ring.

As illustrated in the figures, each beam 7 may define a cantilever attached to base 10 at opening 3 of socket 2 . In some embodiments, the beam is not in contact with the bottom 5 of the socket 2, allowing elastic deformation of the beam 7 to be enhanced when in contact with the male contacts.

In some examples, the beam may be attached to the base at an opening in the socket and may contact the bottom of the socket.

The female contact 1 can be configured to sustain a current including between 1A and 1000A, as non-limiting examples.

Crown 6 can be made of a material comprising a copper alloy, such as copper beryllium, as a non-limiting example.

The crown 6 may for example be configured with a diameter of between 5 mm and 30 mm, such as 12 mm, and a height of between 5 mm and 30 mm, such as 13 mm. The beam can have a width comprised between 0.3 mm and 15 mm, for example 1 mm, as a non-limiting example.

The present invention also relates to a method 100 of manufacturing a socket.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, method 100 has the following steps.
In S1, providing a conductive socket for the male electrical contact, the socket comprising an opening, a peripheral wall and a bottom;
At S2, pressing a conductive crown comprising a plurality of pressed conductive beams comprising a plurality of corrugations;
At S3, positioning the pressed crown within the socket such that the plurality of beams are substantially regularly positioned along a peripheral wall within the socket, comprising:
Each beam has a main direction extending substantially from the opening to the bottom of the socket, and the plurality of corrugations extends along the main direction of extension, the corrugations being apex toward the inside of the socket and toward the peripheral wall. and a valley of
Each beam elastically deforms when making contact with the male contact on the relative displacement of the male contact toward the bottom of the socket, and when the male electrical contact is inserted into the socket, a male electrical contact is provided at the top of the plurality of corrugations. configured to contact the contacts.

The contacts manufactured by method 100 may be contacts according to any of the present inventions.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, S3 comprises a ring 12 at the top of the base 10 or is designed into a socket and has a folded thin wall at the top of the crown. It may comprise placing the pressed crown 6 in the opening 3 of the socket 2 by blocking the crown 6 . Ring 12 may be operatively positioned in barrel 14 forming part of the connector in which the contacts are positioned, although other methods such as gluing are envisioned.

Crowns may also be used in combination with other means to enhance electrical contact with the male contacts.

Claims (18)

A female electrical contact for an electrical connector, the female electrical contact comprising:
a conductive socket for a male electrical contact comprising an opening, a peripheral wall and a bottom;
a pressed crown including a plurality of pressed conductive beams, said plurality of beams arranged substantially regularly along said peripheral wall within said socket. ,
each beam having a main direction extending substantially from the opening of the socket to the bottom and comprising a plurality of corrugations along the main extending direction, the corrugations being apex toward the inside of the socket; a valley toward the peripheral wall;
each beam elastically deforms when contacting the male electrical contact on the relative displacement of the male electrical contact toward the bottom of the socket, and when the male electrical contact is inserted into the socket; A female electrical contact configured to contact the male electrical contact to a plurality of the crests of the corrugation. 2. The female electrical contact of claim 1, wherein said crown has said plurality of conductive beams comprised between 3 beams and 90 beams. 3. The female electrical contact of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the valley is in contact with the peripheral wall. The pressed crown connects the plurality of beams together and is configured to mechanically contact the socket at the opening in the socket to attach the pressed crown to the socket. 4. The female electrical contact of any one of claims 1-3, further comprising a base. 5. The female electrical contact of claim 4, wherein each beam defines a cantilever attached to said base at said opening of said socket. 5. The female electrical contact of claim 4, wherein each beam is attached to said base at said opening in said socket. 7. A female electrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 6, configured to sustain a current comprising between 1A and 1000A. 8. Female electrical contact according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crown is made of a material comprising a copper alloy such as copper beryllium. The crown has dimensions, for example a diameter configured between 5 mm and 30 mm, such as 12 mm, and a height configured between 5 mm and 30 mm, such as 13 mm. 9. A female electrical contact according to any one of claims 8 to 10. 10. A female electrical contact according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each beam comprises N corrugations as follows.

11. Any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the receiving space for the male electrical contacts within the plurality of beams is substantially constant from the opening to the bottom of the socket. female electrical contacts. 12. A female electrical contact according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of beams are substantially regularly positioned along the peripheral wall within the socket. 13. A female electrical contact according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of beams cover substantially most of the surface area of the peripheral wall. 14. A female electrical contact according to any preceding claim, wherein the beam has a width configured between 0.3 mm and 15 mm, such as 1 mm. providing a conductive socket for the male electrical contact, the socket comprising an opening, a peripheral wall and a bottom;
pressing a conductive crown comprising a plurality of pressed conductive beams comprising a plurality of corrugations;
positioning the pressed crown within the socket such that the plurality of beams are positioned substantially regularly along the perimeter wall within the socket;
Each beam has a main direction extending substantially from the opening of the socket to the bottom, the plurality of corrugations extending along the main extending direction, the corrugations extending toward the inside of the socket. including a crest and a valley towards the peripheral wall;
each beam elastically deforms when contacting the male electrical contact on the relative displacement of the male electrical contact toward the bottom of the socket, and when the male electrical contact is inserted into the socket; and C. configured to contact the male electrical contact to a plurality of the crests of the corrugation. 16. A method according to claim 15 for manufacturing a female electrical contact according to any one of claims 2-14. Place the pressed crown in the opening of the socket by interrupting the crown with a ring on top of the crown or with a thin wall designed into the socket and folded over the top of the crown. 17. A method according to claim 15 or 16, further comprising the step of: 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the ring is forcefully positioned and/or adhered within a barrel forming part of a connector in which the female electrical contact is positioned.

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